Millions of dollars have been poured into Chicago’s mayoral race, and less than two weeks out from the Feb. 28 Election Day, contributions are still streaming in.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is running for reelection and will face eight challengers. Since the beginning of 2022, she has raised approximately $6.08 million in campaign funds — the most of any candidate. Businessman Willie Wilson, who has loaned his campaign $6 million, is a close second at $6.07 million.
But with the election just around the corner, fundraising efforts have only increased. In the past two weeks, the incumbent mayor has received over $850,000 in contributions to her campaign, Lightfoot for Chicago. Among her recent contributors are big-name donors like Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts and multimillionaire Newsweb Corp. founder Fred Eychaner, who each donated $100,000 last week alone.
But Lightfoot and Wilson aren’t the only ones raking in millions on the campaign trail. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas raised almost $1 million in the span of a week, bringing the total contributions to his campaign, Vallas for Mayor, to approximately $5.75 million.
Two other candidates have also surpassed the million-dollar mark, with Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson raising just over $3.89 million and U.S. Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García collecting around $2.85 million from donors.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign spending outpacing how much she’s raising. Read more here >>>
Election Day for the mayor’s race is Feb. 28, 2023. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in February, a runoff election will be held on April 4, 2023.
2023 Chicago mayoral candidates answer Tribune questionnaire here >>>
See the latest campaign finances records for each candidate below.
Kam Buckner, state representative for the 26th District
Jesús ‘Chuy’ García, U.S. representative for Illinois’s 4th district
Ja’Mal Green, community activist
Brandon Johnson, Cook County commissioner
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Sophia King, 4th Ward alderman
Lori Lightfoot, 56th mayor of Chicago
Roderick Sawyer, 6th Ward alderman
Paul Vallas, former CEO for Chicago Public Schools
Willie Wilson, wealthy business owner and previous mayoral candidate